


Made For Each Other

by Phoenixofslytherin



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: ADHD, ADHD is a superpower, Be proud of who you are!, Disability, F/M, Honeymoon, MARITAL BLISS, Positive Disability Story, Romance, Sensory Processing Disorder, Vignette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:29:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,972
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27122534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Phoenixofslytherin/pseuds/Phoenixofslytherin
Summary: Lavender and Blaise are on their honeymoon. Lavender is having a thoughtful day and is reflecting on their relationship and her neurological differences.
Relationships: Lavender Brown/Blaise Zabini
Comments: 8
Kudos: 12
Collections: Expecto Patronum Fest 2020





	Made For Each Other

**Author's Note:**

> This story is written for the Expecto Patronum Fest 2020. My prompt was as follows….. Character A suffers from Sensory Processing Disorder and is often overwhelmed to the point of meltdowns. Character B may not know how to help them yet, but that won’t stop them from trying every sensory spell ever written to make the world less alarming to character A.
> 
> S.P.D. is a condition that is linked to the Autism spectrum, and people who have it tend to also be diagnosed with Autism and/or ADHD. S.P.D. can be a standalone condition but this is unusual. The symptoms of S.P.D. vary hugely from person to person. At its simplest level, S.P.D. is where the senses all work as they should, but the brain interprets the signals from the senses in a confused way and becomes easily overwhelmed with too much muddled stimuli. The symptoms of S.P.D. overlap significantly with the symptoms of ADHD and even many health professionals struggle to separate one from the other.
> 
> I’ve found it very tough to separate the two conditions in this story because I have ADHD and traits of S.P.D and simply cannot separate the two in myself. For this reason, Lavender also had both conditions.
> 
> I’ve written this story as carefully and respectfully as I could. I based it on my own, and my children’s experiences with both conditions. I understand that other people may experience their symptoms differently and that there is no right or wrong way to experience S.P.D. or ADHD. There are magical spells in the story that help to soothe the senses and to create calm, but I haven’t dwelled on that aspect too much because we don’t have those in real life. I want to show that if we have the right support and the right people around us then people with an S.P.D. and/or an ADHD diagnosis can, and do thrive, and achieve whatever they want out of life. 
> 
> I FIRMLY believe, and bring both of my children up to believe that ADHD is our superpower. Yes there are times when it can be a real pain in the bum, and of course we have bad days, but the conditions have a beautiful side too. They make us creative, empathetic, caring, and unique. Then there are the feels…. We feel everything so deeply, with every part of ourselves, if everyone with the conditions was supported properly and loved for who they are, my goodness, wouldn’t that be incredible?! 
> 
> If anyone wants to reach out to me about this story drop me a pm or write on the review or comments thread, I advocate strongly for both these conditions (and autism) in real life and I’m always happy to talk about things!
> 
> Many many thanks to Sonnen Flower for reading this through for me, and thank you as ever to champagneandliterature my wonderful alpha/beta for all your help. Your thoughts, support and help were very much appreciated!

“Good morning Mrs. Zabini. How are you today?” Lavender looked up and smiled as Blaise made his way up the steep steps of the yacht to join her on the sundeck. Her eyes swept over his mostly bare body and she sucked in a small breath as she gave him her best appreciative smile. She watched as he strolled towards her and sat elegantly on the edge of the sunbed next to hers. 

Blaise bent down to take his deck shoes off and stared out across the crystalline sea. Lavender gazed unashamedly at her brand new husband, wondering not for the first time how she had been lucky enough to end up in this position. “What do you think of the Italian coastline then?” He asked, turning to catch her in his intense chocolate brown eyes.

Lavender turned onto her side, shielding her face from the sun as she smiled again. “It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen in my life.” She said honestly, blinking back sudden tears and taking a shaky breath as her heart swelled uncomfortably with an impulsive and overpowering love for him.

Blaise smiled softly. He half quirked an eyebrow as she sniffed and smiled at the same time. She nodded and he leaned forwards and squeezed her hand, signaling that he understood; she was telling him that she was fine despite the moment’s sniffle, and he believed her. “It is pretty.” He agreed. “My mother used to bring us here when I was a child, we’d swim in the sea and stay up late and eat our dinner on the beach.” 

“That sounds perfect.” Lavender smiled, still distracted by his toned body and his smooth, dark skin, currently glistening with sunscreen in the morning sun. She pictured him much younger, playing on the beach, carefree as only a child could be, and lost herself to the images in her mind. She could hear the children’s laughter, see the game of tag she imagined them to be playing, and feel the droplets of seawater that splashed up as the children chased each other through the shallows. 

Then the image morphed, the flying droplets of water took her back to primary school, to a memory of running around the school field bundled up in winter coats, playing the same game of tag in the snow. The snowflakes sparkled in the sun and Lavender stopped running, transfixed by their beauty as they settled on her black coat, lasted a second, and melted away to nothing. Her friends tagged her and she laughed then the teacher shouted at her, berating her for not wearing gloves- 

“Lav, are you comfortable?” Blaise asked, and she knew it wasn’t the first time he’d  asked. She smiled as she blinked her focus back onto him.

“Comfortable?” she asked in confusion. 

“Comfortable.” He confirmed, placing a hand on her tummy to hold her attention. “What were you thinking about?” he asked gently.

“Why schools make you wear gloves in the snow. It’s much nicer to feel the snowflakes on your fingers, and gloves get all wet-” she broke off as Blaise laughed. He was used to her mind running off at a tangent. She knew he wouldn’t be able to fathom how she was thinking about wet gloves and snow when he had mentioned playing on the beach in the sun, but to her, it was a perfectly logical progression.

“I take it you’re still a little overwhelmed from the wedding?” he asked gently and Lavender sighed in relief as the blinding sun dimmed a little as he cast a sense soothing charm over her.

“Yes.” She admitted, stretching her legs out with a sigh, “A little. Maybe more than a little. Maybe a lot.” She turned her face to him and pulled a mock frown. “Help me? Please?”

He nodded and signaled her to turn over on the sun lounger. She did so, nestling her front into the soft cushion and he settled gently astride her, using his body weight to help her to feel grounded. He picked up the bottle of suncream, tipped some into his hands, and rubbed them together to warm them. When he started to massage it into her shoulders and back she sighed in pleasure as he pressed just firmly enough to make her relax. The noises of the Italian coastline faded away with another of his charms until all she could hear was the peaceful sound of the sea. 

Lavender felt like the luckiest girl in the world. As she lay delighting in his sensual touch, her mind wandered to the first time they had met….

_ It was the Halloween feast in their first year at Hogwarts and the Great Hall was noisy and overwhelming. Lavender was struggling to cope, she was mostly managing to adapt to life at a magical boarding school, but tonight was testing her. Her senses were strained. It was too bright, too busy, too intense.  _

_ Professor Quirrel raced into the hall. “Troll!!!” he shouted, then fell into a dead faint on the floor. Pandemonium reigned and Lavender panicked. As everyone stood up to move to the safety of their dormitories she dropped unseen to the floor and hid under the table. When the hall was finally quiet and she had calmed slightly, Lavender realized that she was stuck. She knew she should be safely in the dorms with the other students, but she wasn’t, she was here. And here was not safe.  _

_ So she sat, rocking back and forth with her hands over her ears to calm herself, and thought about horses. She liked horses and it was comforting to remember the graceful way they moved, the peaceful noise they made as they chewed and-  _

_ Suddenly she jumped, banging her head on the table and flailing her arms and legs out in front of her as someone sprang nimbly out of the way. “Merlin!” a boy’s voice said, “I only asked if you were okay! There’s no need for that!”  _

_ “Sorry!!” Lavender squealed in dismay, trying desperately to pull herself together. _

_ The boy bent down and stared at her. “What are you doing under there?” he asked.  _

_ “Do you like horses?” she asked in reply, and he looked baffled for a moment before he nodded. He stared at her intently for a full minute and she realized that given the circumstances it had probably been a strange question.  _

_ “Did you have a meltdown?” the boy asked, helping himself to a bunch of grapes from the table in a supremely unconcerned way. _

_ “Yes.”  _

_ “Oh. Grape?”  _

_ Lavender shuffled out from under the table a little more, staying on her bottom as she watched him and hesitantly took a grape. “How do you know what a meltdown is?”  _

_ “My sister has them sometimes. Look, you're calming down now. See, it’s alright really, have another grape.” Lavender did, bursting the skin with her teeth and savoring the sweetness on her tongue. “What’s your name?” the boy asked. _

_ “Lavender. What’s yours?”  _

_ “Blaise. Shall I walk you back upstairs?”  _

_ She nodded, “Are you in Gryffindor too?” she hadn’t noticed him before, but he seemed rather quiet so it was possible she had missed him.  _

_ “No. Slytherin,” he said, and she nodded.  _

_ “You're nice,” Lavender said, taking another grape.  _

_ “Thanks,” he’d replied, and they’d chatted easily all the way up to Gryffindor tower. _

  
  


And now she was lucky enough to be married to him. Lavender smiled into the sun lounger. She was totally relaxed now, Blaise’s familiar calming charms washed over her as he continued to rub her back. “Will you come here?” she asked, patting the sun lounger beside her. He nodded and carefully stood up, turning to straighten his shorts and sank down, settling to lay next to her. He whispered another charm and the sunbed widened to accommodate them both.

Lavender turned into him, resting her cheek against his shoulder and he settled an arm comfortably around her. It was still bright, despite Blaise’s dimming charms, so she closed her eyes and focused on his scent as she drifted off to sleep. 

Blaise woke her an hour or so later as he got up. “Sorry” he whispered, and she smiled, stretching and yawning widely. 

“Thank you for the massage, I feel so much better.”

“Good.” he leaned over to kiss her as she stood up to follow him inside the yacht. She helped herself to some iced water, pouring a glass for Blaise as well, and passed it to him as he came back from the toilet. He slipped his arms around her again and she leaned  back into him, reveling in his touch. “Do you fancy going out on the jetski?” he asked and she grinned. 

“Absolutely. Let’s have some breakfast and then go.” 

  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  


The wind blew Lavender’s long plaited ponytail out behind her as she sat behind Blaise on the powerful jet ski, bouncing and flying across the water at breakneck speed. She whooped with delight as the engine roared and the jetski picked up even more speed beneath them. The feeling was exhilarating, she hadn’t cast any sensory dulling charms for this experience, she wanted to feel it all and be aware of every last detail. Because she was prepared for it the noise was exciting, the sights flashing past her eyes were invigorating and the vibration of the engine felt natural, as if it was coming from somewhere inside her own body.

She clung to Blaise willing him to go faster still, she wanted to feel more, to see more, to hear more. Every tiny detail and feeling was adding to her excitement and her over-aroused senses were spinning her mind higher with each moment that passed. 

She knew that Blaise loved the speed too. Anything that went faster than was sensible, whether it was a car, motorbike or racing broom made him happy, and Lavender knew she should disapprove of his habit of driving muggle sports cars way above the speed limit but she couldn’t. She delighted in his rather reckless driving and was often finding different adrenaline sports for them to take part in together. As long as she could cling on to him she knew she was safe. She grinned as Blaise looked over his shoulder and she gripped him tightly, laughing in delight as they whipped through the water, still at breakneck speed.

Finally, he slowed and Lavender bounced up and down feeling totally disorientated. Blaise pulled in a wide circle and then cut the engine, they sat bobbing about on the waves and she looked at him in confusion. He turned her cheek to where he was pointing, heaven knew when she’d learn to follow someone’s point naturally….. “Look.”

Lavender looked and gasped. Playing in front of them was a trio of dolphins and she smiled, watching them frolic and losing herself to another daydream…...

_ After that night in first year, Lavender and Blaise had become close friends. He was a quiet boy who kept mostly to himself and didn’t seem to get drawn into the drama that his housemates so often did. His best friends were a tall skinny boy called Theo, and a beautiful blonde girl called Daphne. They all learned to look out for Lavender, but Blaise was the most intuitive at it by far.  _

_ It was a hot sunny day in their third year at Hogwarts. The Potions dungeon was hot and humid, steam was rising from cauldrons all around the room and each one had a slightly different smell. Lavender was terrible at potions. She peered into the cauldron she was sharing with Blaise and frowned. The liquid inside was pale blue and bubbling slowly. She had no idea what it was that they were making, or what she was supposed to be doing to help, she knew he was carrying her in this class and she felt terribly guilty. “Can you put in the chopped fnjsnfkwn nefwnnj please?” Blaise asked with a gentle smile. _

_ She frowned in confusion as he repeated his unfathomable request. It was too hot; sweat beaded on her forehead and her back was damp, she hated the feeling of sweat on her body. Blaise touched her hand in an attempt to ground her, and repeated his request one more time.  _

_ Lavender watched his mouth open and close but could make no sense of the words that came out. She screwed her eyes shut and put her hands over her ears, desperately needing a moment’s break from the overwhelming room. She had no control over the stimuli in the classroom and no time to process any of it. Everything felt like it was coming directly at her in a jumble of sounds, sights and movements and it was all becoming too much. Daphne touched her arm in concern and suddenly she couldn’t cope. She bolted from the room, diving past her startled classmates and outside into the quiet corridor. She sighed in relief, and ignoring Snape’s angry shout, she bolted all the way back up to Gryffindor Tower. _

_ She missed the rest of the afternoon’s classes, choosing instead to hide in her dorm with the bed covers over her head to block out the sights and sounds around her. She finally got up when Blaise’s owl tapped loudly and insistently on the window and refused to be ignored. His note told her to meet him by the Black Lake at six pm. From there Blaise, Daphne and Theo had taken her into the forest and introduced her to the unicorn herd that resided deep in the impenetrable woods. They sat quietly resting their backs against a tree and watching the beautiful creatures for what seemed like hours until the sun set and darkness started to fall.  _

_ The unicorn had a peaceful, calming way about them that left Lavender soothed and more settled than she had felt in days. When they finally stood up to leave Blaise held her back for a minute, letting the other two go on ahead. He took her in his arms and looked deeply into her eyes as he dipped his head and gave her her first-ever kiss. _

_ Later, when he kissed her again to say goodnight at the Gryffindor common room door he pressed something into her hand. As he walked away she looked down and saw a bracelet woven with unicorn tail hair….. _

The well-worn bracelet was still on her wrist now, preserved forever by a stasis charm, and she fingered it lovingly as she sat on the jetski watching the dolphin frolic playfully all around them. 

  
  
  


* * *

Back on the shore and after a late lunch, Lavender was feeling fidgety. She had loved every second of speeding along the beautiful coastline on the superpowered jetski but now she was finding it difficult to feel settled. She needed some time on her own. She kissed Blaise goodbye and as he apparated back onto the yacht Lavender strolled down the cobblestone street and out onto the golden sand. 

She stared around her, taking in the beautiful scenery, the clear sea, and the azure blue sky. Sometimes she just needed some time out and away from other people. She walked for what felt like miles, processing the events of the last few days. Moving helped her to think clearly. Merlin knew she’d tried to learn how to think while sitting still, as most people managed to do, but throughout her life at school and beyond she had been forced to accept that it just didn’t work for her. 

The freedom to move meant the freedom to think freely. Being forced to be still trapped her in the prison of her own mind and at times that was physically painful. Her thoughts picked up and started to swirl so she physically picked up her pace. She kicked off her flip flops and broke into a jog, then a run, grateful that she had chosen to wear shorts and a vest top today. She ran faster and faster, picking up speed as she raced as quickly as she could along the beach. 

It felt so good, the blur of speed forced the myriad of thoughts out of her head and she sprinted flat out until her lungs burned and her heart pounded and her body's limitations forced her to slow down. She doubled over, gasping for breath and when she had finally regained her composure she walked forwards into the sea to cool off. The feeling of physical and mental restlessness had cleared now and she could view the world normally again.

The feel of the water pooling gently around her calves took her back in her mind….

_ It was sixth year and she and Blaise had been on a break for several months. It was amicable, they had been seeing each other on and off since the night with the unicorns and  _ _ they knew they had something special together, but they had also both been honest; they wanted to try dating other people. They had talked things through and decided that for now they would be nothing more than friends.  _

_ Friends who still secretly watched each other from the shadows and helped each other through their difficult times. _

_ Lavender was beginning to worry about Blaise though, there was no gentle way around it, he was sleeping with anyone and everyone who was interested in him. Between his exotic good looks, his easygoing attitude and the intrigue and allure currently surrounding Slytherin house, a lot of interested girls were finding their way into his bed. _

_ Lavender herself had been seeing Ron Weasley for a few months, and she had discovered that she really liked him. Initially, she had wondered if Ron could possibly be the one for her. Unfortunately though, the more Lavender had started to fall for him, the more Ron had backed away.  _

_ Things had come to a head one night, and Ron had told her he didn’t want to see her anymore. Lavender had a suspicion that it was because he was secretly in love with Hermione, and the thought of him being with someone else almost broke Lavender’s heart.  _ _ She couldn’t complain too much though, she knew Ron had an equal suspicion that she was still in love with Blaise, and if she was honest with herself, Lavender knew he was right. _

_ She wasn’t silly enough to think that was all it was though. Ron had openly admitted that he couldn’t cope with her exuberant mood swings and her strange habits. He found her feelings bewildering and they made no sense to him at all. Ron was outgoing, he thrived when he was surrounded by lots of people and in busy environments, Lavender did not.  _

_ It was a warm summer’s evening and Lavender was standing in a secluded spot paddling in the shallows of the Black Lake. Her skirt was rolled up and she was fixated on the feeling of her toes sinking into the mud as she wiggled them. The sticky, oozy mud soothed her ruffled feelings as well as her hot feet and it took her mind away from the tears that were streaming down her face.  _

_ She knew that she needed to cover her difficulties better and at least attempt to be more like the other students. She was also aware that what she was currently doing was probably not the best way to go about appearing more normal. She rolled her eyes and sighed as she caught sight of Draco Malfoy watching her with an elegant eyebrow raised in confusion. Lavender huffed. Of all the people to see her crying while standing up to her knees in muddy lake water, why did it have to be him?  _

_ Resigned to whatever fate he sent her way she backed up into a shallower patch and sat down. Just plopped down right where she was, straight in the mud, and sighed again.  _

_ And that was how Blaise found her a few minutes later. She suddenly became aware of him standing watching her with an amused look on his face. “What are you doing Lav?” he asked, as she tried a brave attempt at a smile. _

_ As it was him she gave up all pretenses and laughed. “Trying to be normal.” _

_ “Oh.” He looked startled and then laughed. “And how is that working out?” _

_ “Terribly!” she stood up, dripping wet and he held his arms out to her, grinning in invitation. _

_ “Really?” she asked, gesturing to her soaked robes and he nodded slowly. She hesitated for only a split second and ran towards him. He caught her, lifting her up and spinning her around in his arms. She wrapped her arms around him and they held each other tightly, kissing as if to make up for lost time, both of them oblivious to the state she was getting his designer robes in.  _

_ “Do me one favor?” he asked as he pulled back to look into her eyes.  _

_ She nodded. “Anything.” She’d do anything for this boy. Memories of Ron suddenly faded into nothing, let him have Hermione and be happy. For her, it had always been Blaise.  _

_ “Oi!” he tapped her arm playfully, “focus!” she giggled and pulled her gaze back to his, “Don’t ever try to be normal Lav. You’re you and if you try to stifle that you won’t be the girl I fell in love with.” _

_ Lavender gasped as he wiped the mud and tears from her face with the pad of his thumb. “Come on, let’s get cleaned up then I can show you how sorry I am for being such an idiot these last few months…..” _

  
  


When Lavender apparated back onto the yacht she was once again fully dressed and dripping wet, only this time it was seawater and sand that coated her legs rather than lake water and mud. Blaise grinned at her from his sunbed, obviously remembering the eventful evening in the lake as she nodded, laughed sheepishly, and headed to the shower. 

Since that night by the lake at Hogwarts Lavender had never tried to deny who she was again. Blaise supported her, and gradually she had learned to embrace her own particular brand of quirkiness. He loved her brilliant, colorful way of seeing the world, just as she loved his quiet calmness and reserve. 

“Dinner love?” he asked, sticking his head around the bathroom door. She smiled and nodded, shaking her almost waist-length, blonde hair out of its towel and starting to cast a drying charm. “Good. I know just the place.”

  
  


* * *

  
  


Blaise took her to a beautiful little outdoor restaurant. As the natural light faded from the sky it was replaced by a thousand hovering magical candles. Soft piano music played in the background and strings of fairy lights adorned the pergola, lighting the beautiful purple Bougainvillea that was climbing it. It was the perfect romantic setting and the perfect romantic evening. 

Lavender smiled softly as Blaise spoke to the waiter in fluent Italian, she was picking up more and more of the language as time went on, but she loved to hear him speak it like this. She could listen to the way it flowed and tipped off his tongue for ages. As the waiter set down their starters and left she arched an eyebrow. Blaise was watching her with a soft expression on his handsome face. “What?” she asked softly.

He took her hand across the table and smiled. “The waiter remarked that you were beautiful and I agreed.” His smile was genuine and the contented look suited him. “I told him I’m a lucky guy.”

“And I’m a lucky girl.” She said, breaking off a corner of bruschetta and popping it into her mouth. 

“When did you know?” he asked, still looking at her intently, “When did you know we were meant to be together?”

“I felt something for you right from the first night I met you,” she admitted.

“When we were 11 years old and you were hiding under the table?” he asked, smiling at her surprise.

“Can we not pretend we met in a more sensible way? I was hoping you wouldn’t remember that?”

“How could I forget it?! It’s not every day that kind of thing happens. And no, we can’t. We can tell people whatever you prefer but I know that was the moment I fell for you, even if you did nearly kick me in the head!”

“I’m sorry about that.” She giggled at his teasing. She was comfortable out here, the temperature was right, the lighting wasn’t too bright, and the atmosphere was quiet. “Did you ever mind?” she asked, nibbling at a forkful of tomato, “You know, about my condition?”

He met her eyes as he shook his head. “Why should I mind?”

“I don’t know. Some people did, or still do. They think I’m strange, or too impulsive. They don’t understand why I suddenly drop to the floor or why some things are unbearable, even now.”

“Then they are the ones with the problem.” Blaise smiled. “When I look at you I see the most determined person I’ve ever met. So what if you see the world differently Lav, it would be a boring place if we were all the same wouldn’t it?”

Chewing thoughtfully Lavender nodded. She thought for a moment, trying to gather what she wanted to say. “I might have noticed you in first year, but seventh year was when I really knew you were the one.”

“How so?”

She sighed. “That year could have been horrendous for me. The Carrow’s terrified me, I wouldn’t have stayed at Hogwarts at all if it wasn’t for the Slytherin dorms."…….

_ It was their final year at Hogwarts and Lavender was the only girl in the seventh year Gryffindor girls dorms. Hermione hadn’t returned to Hogwarts that year and Pavarti was choosing to live in the Ravenclaw dorms with her sister Padma. Not wanting to be alone at night Lavender had moved down to the Slytherin dungeons where it seemed a fair amount of bed swapping was already going on. It had turned out to be the best thing she could ever have done.  _

_ The beds were huge, each one was easily big enough for two and nobody seemed to mind Lavender slipping into Blaise’s in the slightest. Even the professors were turning a blind eye to the older students finding support when they needed it, and It was down in the chilly bedroom under the lake that Lavender had finally understood what it meant to be truly accepted. She had always been good friends with Theo, but the other Slytherin boys, Draco, Vincent, and Greg had always intimidated her and she had struggled to speak to them much in the past. It seemed that they all had rather a lot of respect for Blaise though. _

_ As she got to know them she realized that that respect was being extended to her as well. It seemed there was truth in the saying that Slytherin’s looked after their own, and while Pansy maintained that Lavender didn’t have a single Slytherin bone in her body, they all accepted her without question.  _

_ And there she had thrived. It had proved incredibly liberating to be able to openly admit when she was struggling and to receive a sympathetic smile or an offer of help. Mostly that help had consisted of time and a quiet space to process what was going on in her mind.  _

_ Lavender hated admitting that seventh year was the time she had thrived the most at Hogwarts. Without a doubt, it was a tough year with the Carrow’s reign of terror and Voldemort taking over the country, but Blaise understood her sentiments. Her grades had picked up, she had even managed to pass her N.E.W.T.S. with mostly acceptable grades, something she knew would have been outright impossible had she not found the acceptance she had down in the dungeons. Blaise had taught her that it was okay to be herself and to show all sides of herself to the world. Theo had shown her that it was okay to laugh at herself at times and to admit when things were tough. Draco had offered her protection and single-handedly ensured that nobody in the school treated her badly. As for Vincent and Greg, well, they had both taught her to stand up for herself. _

_ She was still sad about Vincent’s death. Yes, he had been awful at times but at other times, particularly down in those dark dingy dungeons, she had caught glimpses of a different boy. A kind boy, one with a heart. She couldn’t help wondering how different things could have been had he had a different upbringing….. _

  
  


“What are you thinking about?” Blaise asked as he passed her a napkin. Blinking her way back to the present she felt a tear slip through her lashes and roll down her cheek. 

“Vincent Crabbe,” she admitted with a wry smile, wiping it away.

Blaise chuckled, “The first proper meal of our honeymoon and my wife is thinking of another man.” She laughed at that too. “Why love?”

“Well you asked when I knew you were the one, and it was down in those Merlin awful Slytherin dorms in seventh year. You were all amazing and you….” she stared at him, blinking as another tear escaped. The words she wanted to say were stuck. Her mind was swirling and she couldn’t make them come out. There was too much emotion clouding her mind and she couldn't process it all immediately. She looked down then up again, shook her head, licked her lips, and sipped her wine. 

“I’m going for a wee.” He winked and left her alone for a moment. She blew out a long slow breath and then took several more, breathing slowly to calm herself. As her mind cleared she suddenly knew; THIS was the reason she loved Blaise. He understood her. Nothing more and nothing less, and to her, it meant the entire world.

She smiled when he slipped back into his seat. “For the record, those dorms were not Merlin awful.” He said with a grin and she laughed. 

“Oh Blaise they really were, and I don’t like bright and busy!” she laughed. “You all taught me so much down there though, you taught me not to be ashamed of my differences. And Vincent, it’s just too sad. I saw what he was, underneath the hatred and the loathing. He was just a boy. And I remember one night when you were all at quidditch practice and it was just me and him and Theo, There were some things he said that showed me he had a heart underneath it all. I wish he hadn’t died.”

“You always do see the best in people, love. That’s why you’re doing so well at healer training.”

Lavender smiled and nodded. It was true, she was acing the course so far. She might be taking it over four years rather than three but she was on track to come out of it with the first Outstanding grade of her life. And that was something she was rather proud of.

  
  
  


* * *

  
  


Back on the yacht, the world was silent. Lavender stood, looking out of the cabin window at the inky black sea and the sprinkling of stars that dotted the heavens above. There were no lights anywhere and the air was still and warm. The smell of the sea tickled her nostrils as she braided her long hair back into a plait ready for the night. 

It had been the perfect day, spent with the perfect man, and she was beyond happy. Blaise opened the bathroom door and stood, silhouetted against the golden light within. He smiled and held out his hands, she stepped forwards and took them, leaning into him as he held her close. 

After a minute’s quiet, he walked her backward and gently bumped the back of her knees into the bed. “Alright there Mrs. Zabini?”

“Yes thank you.” She smiled against his lips as she sank down and crawled back up the bed to rest her head on the pillow. Her eyes darkened as she stared at him, he was just stunningly beautiful in the golden light still spilling from the bathroom door. He growled low in his throat as he kissed her and she melted into the bed as he pressed against her. Reaching for his wand he vanished her nightdress with one spell, leaving her naked beneath him. 

“You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.” He said as he kissed her and caressed her nipples. “Just so you know, It’s always been you. Right back to under that table in first year. There’s never been anyone else for me.”

Lavender smiled. “Nor me.”

“Good.” He reached his hand lower and stroked through her silken folds. She whimpered softly as he caressed her for a moment, then pulled his hand back and sheathed himself softly inside her. He was gentle tonight, their lovemaking varied so much, sometimes it was fast and furious, all about hard thrusts and passionate feelings, and sometimes like tonight, it was soft, easy, and gentle. 

Tonight was about the depth of their connection. Lavender stared deeply into his chocolate brown eyes, watching every expression that crossed his handsome face. “I love you,” he said as he stilled for a moment to kiss her.

“I love you too.” She meant those words more wholeheartedly than any others she had ever spoken. His smile was slow and easy as he picked up the pace again and she buried her face in his shoulder as she came undone.

As she lay there, panting softly and feeling her heartbeat return to normal she understood that she was complete. Blaise felt like the other half of her soul and when they were together the world was right. He had taught her so much, he and Theo and Daphne and the others down in those freezing cold dungeons, they had taught her self belief, and now, finally, she had internalized that. She knew that if she approached life in the right way her disability could become her superpower. 

She felt everything wildly, deeply, and with her whole body, so why not tune into those feelings and use them to help heal others?

She was easily overwhelmed by the world around her, so why not turn that into an advantage and use that energy creatively? She could write, she could paint, she could make crafts that brought other people joy, and all of those things could be done in blissful solitude in her own quiet space.

She needed a lot of time for her brain to process the things her senses took in, so why not allow herself that extra time to be comfortable?

Lavender smiled as she settled down against Blaise. He wrapped an arm around her and dropped a kiss onto her hair. “What are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking you’re right. I finally understand what you’ve been trying to tell me.”

“Of course I am,” He smiled in sleepy confusion. “I’m often right. What have I been trying to tell you?” 

“That it’s okay to be me, it’s okay to be different. Different doesn't mean bad and it’s not going to hold me back.”

Blaise tilted his head up to look at her curiously, “I’ve been telling you that for years.”

She smiled as she giggled against his shoulder. breathing in his scent. His closeness washed over her like a balm. “Well, I finally realized it for myself. It’s one thing you and the others telling me, it’s a different thing to truly believe it.”

Blaise took a deep breath which turned into a yawn. “Then I’m glad you’ve finally managed that Lav because the rest of us accepted you a long time ago.” 

  
  
  
  



End file.
